Question #1: What’s the worst thing about traveling?
If your answer is “PACKING” you get an “A”
If you squeezed in 2 answers, including “Airport Security” you get an “A +”
Question #2: What’s the BEST thing about traveling?
If your answer’s “Learning”
DING DING! You WIN!!
(If you answered “shopping” you’re a naughty, naughty student but I love you and you may sit beside me in class)
So…
Imagine our delight in discovering this unusual little hotel in Portugal earlier this year.
Tucked away in a very quiet but convenient neighbourhood in the heart of Lisbon,
“Hotel da Estrela” has stayed true to the school it once was.
Even a good portion of the staff are students from a neighbouring hotel & culinary Institute.
Two views of the “study room”
The Honesty Bar
*
I dihn’t see you take that 2nd glass of Port!
Halls are hung with old maps and cool art, even the baseboards are blackboards where inspiration may be chalked up daily.
**
How fun is this custom carpeting in the rooms?! (yes, that’s my foot- for scale)
While not overly luxurious (which would feel weird in this funky/modern school ambience) the rooms and bathrooms are large, well appointed (though the giant showers could use a soap holder ) and reasonably priced. The staff are young, eager & courteous.
Coming home late in the evening even requires banging on a massive wooden door, just to add to the feel of missing curfew!
Full disclosure; we did not eat in the restaurant, as my friend’s friends who live in Lisbon took us out to dine at night.
Plus these egg custard pastries are mandatory every day. It’s a Portuguese law.
Chanel Resort 2013
Be True to Your School
For more information on “Hotel da Estrela”
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For more chalkboard fun check out; Chalkboard China ( I just love them-if you click on the link you’ll see why 
)
Chalkboard candles & Chargers both from Chalkboard China
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* Ciate Chalkboard nails here (available in the U.S. in June 2013)
** Tutorial on chalkboard tags here
Glazed apple for teacher here
Lights Out
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This gorgeous, long lasting and, may I add, impressively virile climber is called
Just put your face in that
They even raise plastic cattle.
Roses simply do NOT get any better than these.
Serve with some freshly toasted french bread, chilled white wine
HERE
We departed from our hotel located in the outskirts of the city of Ouarzazete by helicopter
a 50 minute journey over epic scenery
which we loved…albeit ever vigilant for potential emergency landing spots (see it?!)
Incredible to see how specks of verdant green popped up occasionally
and the lengths some people will go to to ‘unplug’
While it’s true that my friend and I did ever so slightly miss the presence of Ralph…
The hotel camp had us covered!
The tents were amazing
Crisp white sheets, hot water bottles and a private loo. You can just imagine my happiness.
More Happiness
Slim Sandy
‘The desert could not be claimed or owned—it was a piece of cloth carried by winds, never held down by stones’
Tagine served from a huge earthenware pot
What we listened to under the canopy of a billion stars?
Dawn in the desert
A peacefulness one can’t describe
Strike a pose
John Singer Sargent’s Bedouins
Bedouin Breakfast
no problem for my ever resourceful, quick thinking friend who manages to eat breakfast, play DJ and start a new style trend at the same time.
“Ralph…Ralph…We’re here for you…”
The John Singer Sargent exhibition at the 
there was some food involved…
It’s great fun to experience Tom Hank’s first time on the Broadway stage, in fact the entire cast is stellar
My Instagram pic (following yet?) of the Celine shoes that are starting to grow on me
Especially the “Birkenstock” version which FYI is already sold out in the black on black style.
Then there’s this casual little Walter Steiger heel for all you 
Where it’s every woman for herself (more crown-thorny shoes there too-not in my size 
)
We enjoyed a hearty brunch at 
menu board at il Buco
Then Son of Slim threw down with a short rib sandwich that quite frankly did his Momma proud.
via Il Buco website
The salted caramel gelato at Il Buco.
